The centre is a collaboration between the School of Engineering and Cardiff Business School. Its work will include research into design and manufacture, business models, consumer expectations, incentives, energy supply and the supporting charging infrastructure.

Dr Paul Nieuwenhuis, of Cardiff Business School, said: ‘Historically, research in the area of Electric Vehicles has focused on technological issues in isolation. The announcement of the creation of the new multidisciplinary Electric Vehicle Centre and the hosting of the Electric Vehicle Summit demonstrates the strength, quality and commitment of collaborative research within the area of sustainable transport at Cardiff University.’

Professor Karen Holford, director of Cardiff University’s School of Engineering added: ‘Together, we are confident that Cardiff Business School and Cardiff School of Engineering have the expertise and resources to make a significant contribution to research into the barriers towards the wider uptake of electric vehicles.’

The announcement was made at the University’s Electric Vehicle Summit this week, in front of an audience of automotive experts from academia, business and the public sector.

Opening the event, the Rt Hon Carwyn Jones AM, First Minister of Wales, said the centre would be important for helping to boost public acceptance of the technology: ‘The launch of this new centre, the first of its kind in the UK, has an important role to play in developing further innovation in electric vehicles. It will enhance Wales’ ability to contribute significantly to the development of low carbon vehicles, through R&D, and by developing companies in the supply chain’, he said.